FDBusiness.com

Compact laser safety scanners in the new OS32C range from Omron offer versatile and convenient solutions for applications that include collision avoidance for automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), intrusion detection as an alternative to safety light curtains, and detecting the presence of persons within the hazardous area of a machine.

While fully satisfying the requirements of ISO 13849 for Performance Level d and Safety Category 3 without requiring the use of a dedicated safety controller, the new scanners are the most compact of their type currently available and are easily accommodated even where mounting space is limited.

OS32C safety scanners use time-of-flight measurement to determine distance. They emit a laser pulse and measure the time it takes for this to return to the scanner after it is reflected by an object. This allows the scanner to accurately calculate the distance to the object and thereby determine whether it is in the user-defined safety zone. Configuration of the safety zones is a straightforward process that can be performed in real time using a PC.

Up to 70 zone set combinations are possible, making the new sensors ideal for even the most complex of AGV applications, where their low power consumption of just 5 W is also an important benefit. When used for intrusion detection, the units have the benefit of not physically blocking the entrance aperture, while in machine guarding applications their detection angle of 270º means that two sides of a machine can be protected with a single scanner.

Omron’s innovative OS32C scanners use a two-part construction comprising an I/O block and the sensor itself. All of the programming is stored in the I/O block so that should a sensor be damaged it can be replaced quickly and easily without the need for reprogramming. The I/O module also features an Ethernet interface that makes it easy to network and manage multiple sensors in even the most complex of applications.

For more information:  www.omron-industrial.co.uk